Countercheck
by The Resident Vampyr
Summary: Spike, Joyce, & Dawn share an evening together after Buffy asked Spike to look after her mom and sister. A BtVS episode post- 'Checkpoint' / Buffy & Spike short fiction.


Title: **Countercheck**  
Synopsis: Joyce, Dawn, and Spike share an evening together after Buffy asked Spike to look after her mom and sister. A post '[Checkpoint][1]' BtVS episode.   
Note: _Then_ dialogues are from BtVS episode '[Checkpoint][1]', written by D. Petrie & J. Espenson.  
Rating: G  
Date: Tuesday, 24 January, 2001 : 10:52:06 PM  
Written by: _Now. _ [The Resident Web Vampyr][2] © 2001.  
Credits: [See here][3].  
Characters in play: Buffy Joyce Dawn Spike  
  
t h e n.  
Previously on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.  
SCENE 1. Sunnydale cementery.Buffy fighting a vampire when suddenly a bleached vampire jumps in and stakes it.   
Buffy: Spike, why did you do that?   
Spike: Not for money, if that's what you're thinkin'. Your heart-felt gratitude's plenty. I expect I'll be getting that any moment.   
Buffy: Gratitude? For getting in my way?   
Spike: Getting in your way? I saved you.   
Buffy: I was regrouping.   
Spike: You were about to be regrouped into separate piles. You needed help.   
Buffy: I didn't need you. I never need you, Spike.  
  
SCENE 2. Spike's crypt. Spike is asleep when somebody's flashlight wakes him up.  
  
Spike: Aah! Oh, it's the Slayer. For a second there, I was worried. {sees Joyce and Dawn} So, what's with the family outing?   
Buffy: I need your help.   
  
SCENE 3. Spike's crypt. Spike agreed to babysit Buffy's mom and sister.  
  
Spike: All right then, ladies...come on in. There's plenty of blood in the fridge.   
Dawn: Do you mean like real blood?   
Spike: What do you think?   
Dawn: Mostly, I think, ew.   
Buffy: Keep Dawn here as long as you can. I'll be back soon.   
Joyce: OK.   
Buffy: I don't think I need to remind you, but—  
Spike: Yeah, yeah. "Anything happens to 'em, I'll stake you good and proper." Sing me a new one sometime, eh? That bit's gone stale.   
Joyce: I love what you've, um, neglected to do with the place.   
Spike: Just don't break anything. And don't make a lot of noise. Passions is coming on.   
Joyce: Passions? Oh, do you think Timmy's really dead?  
Spike: Oh, no, no. She can just sew him back together. He's a doll, for God's sake.  
Joyce: Ah, what about the wedding? I mean there's no way they're gonna go through with that.  
Dawn's irritated. She sighs.  
  
  


n o w.  
  
**p a r t o n e.**  
  
Spike's crypt. Spike and Joyce watching the last scene of 'Passions' on the telly. She's sitting in Spike's chair while he sits in an improvised wooden box which he used to place the mannequin. It's one of those he gathered while scavenging for furnitures.  
  
"Now, that's what you call a cliffhanger," said Joyce, clearly enjoying the show's plotline. The credits rolled up the screen.  
  
"That's one of the worse episode I've ever seen, if you ask me," he retorted. Spike got up and walked towards the television to turn if off. He stopped abruptly and asked Joyce if she still wants to watch more television.  
  
"You still want to watch Oprah?" he asked.  
  
Joyce agreed and smiled. Spike changed channels while holding the antenna. He said the tv reception is not that great but he thinks he can get a clear feed. He also added that he's planning to get a satellite dish soon. Dawn, on the other hand is hanging around the crypt looking inside Spike's fridge. She's getting hungry, but everything on his menu are pig's blood, beers, and more blood.  
  
"Don't you have anything else in here that's not blood and beers?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I have a left-over chicken wings in there I believe, and some onion rings." Spike answered still busy fixing the tv reception.  
  
Dawn grabbed a piece of chicken wings that Spike described and goes strolling around, eating. She finally settled at the coffin near the entrance door. At last, he got the channel right. He particularly doesn't watch Oprah that much so instead, he walked to where Dawn is.  
  
"So, how do you like the chicken?" he asked, looking at the one dinner he had left.  
  
"Hm," Dawn didn't answer much.   
  
"You can dip it in blood if you like, it gives it more tangy taste," he suggested.   
  
Dawn gave him a fake smile, "Thanks, but no thanks."  
  
"So, what's the deal with this sudden vampire-protection program thing?" he looked at Joyce then Dawn.  
  
Dawn answered back, "I dunno. They didn't exactly tell me anything anymore. It's like this big secret and poor little Dawn is not allowed to know."   
  
"They?" Spike asked with interest.  
  
"Yeah, Buffy, my mom, Giles, and even the Scoobies." Dawn pouted. "They're all in at it, except me." Clearly she doesn't like the idea of being left out. She heard them talking about something, about what, she's not sure.  
  
"Dawn, it's not like that. It's just... it doesn't really concerns you," Joyce immediately followed with what her daughter is saying.  
  
Dawn sighed and gave an expression as if saying "...Whatever." Spike looked inquiringly at Joyce.   
  
"See, it's about this new evil that's in town. Glory, I believe her name was," Joyce finally started to say something about their situation.  
  
"Glory..." Spike whispered.  
  
"Why? You've heard of her?" Joyce looked troubled.  
  
Spike knew he'd _heard_ about that name, "If my memory serves me right, I think I might have. But, go on... continue," he allowed her to talk some more.  
  
"She's in our house today," Dawn interrupted, proudly saying her side of the story. Besides, she bravely walked up to her today, unlike her sister Buffy who seemed awry about the enemy. "She's looking for a key or something and threatened Buffy, that's why we're here."  
  
"What Dawn meant to say was, Buffy thinks it's safe for us to be... hiding out for the time being," Joyce corrected her.  
  
"Yeah right... you know what?, I don't think she can fight that demon at all. I mean if she did then she would've kick her butt a long time ago. I know I would have." Dawn quipped. Dawn finished eating the chicken. She's getting impatient about the subject of their conversation, she changed the topic. Joyce, on the other hand didn't bother to continue anymore. Spike left thinking about the _familiar-sounding_ name, Glory.  
  
"So, what do we do now while we wait for Buffy?" Dawn asked. "I know, why don't we play 20 questions?" suggested Dawn turning to Spike.  
  
_Oh, puleeze_, thought Spike, _not 20 questions again_. He already played that stupid game once with Harmony and he didn't like it one bit. _Breadbox? Pfft!_  
  
"Why don't you just sit over there with your mum and watch television?" Spike told Dawn.  
  
"I don't like to watch that show, I'd rather shut my face," Dawn annoyed with his suggestion.  
  
_Why don't you do that_, Spike thought.  
  
"Oh! I know, why don't you tell me your history," Dawn said. "Is it true that vampires can do all these tricks and stuffs?" she asked.  
  
"Tricks?" Spike confused.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, can you turn into these all sorts of animals like bats or wolves?" Dawn continued. "And I read somewhere that during daylight, vampires turn into dust and it's only at night that they rise again and that you guys can also appear as mists or a shadow or a --"  
  
"Those are just folklore, missy. Don't believe in everything you read," said Spike. He slowly walked away from Dawn. He's not really into all these superficial questions. Joyce started to ask him a few questions herself.  
  
"So, do you plan to redecorate your-your crypt? I know a good set of fixtures that will blend well with your.." Joyce paused. She looked around but cannot find a single furniture that would match her suggestions. "...your... chair."  
  
"I bet you have," he said dryly. Spike doesn't think he can handle anymore of these _verbal exchange of ideas_ from either of the two. Spike knows he's got to win over the Slayer's heart and what better way to get it done than with her family. He could put on a good face for one thing, probably even ask something about Buffy, or play a round of 20 questions.  
  
"Does it have something to do with vampires?" asked Spike.  
"Close. 5 more..." said Dawn.  
"Is it blood?" he asked.  
"Getting hotter. 4 more..." said Dawn.  
  
  
This is going to be a long night...  
  
*** * ***

  
Also by The Resident Web Vampyr Against One, Stronger than Desire, Sweetness Follows, Glorious, No More, An Ode to Spike and Buffy, Checkpoint, Blood Lies, Crushed / I was made to crush you, I was made to love you too, The Bloody.  


   [1]: http://www.buffy.com
   [2]: mailto:vampireloveslayer@yahoo.com
   [3]: http://www.geocities.com/vampireloveslayer/sb_credits.html



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